Effects of Anti-Mattering and Fear of not Mattering on the Psychological Well-Being of International Students in Canada during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to unprecedented hazards to health and mental health globally at the beginning of 2020. These issues are being exacerbated by safety concerns and disruptions of daily routines especially for people in vulnerable groups, including international students in Canada, who experience a variety of stress and challenges in a new country. Additional acculturation stress stems from language barriers and cultural conflicts that can impact well-being and life satisfaction. The current study uniquely examined how anti-mattering and fears of not matter relate to acculturative stress, discrimination and stigma, and perceived stress of international students during the COVID-19 pandemic.